


The Manuscripts of Our Love

by DinoRoar



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Apologies, Arguments, Declarations Of Love, Diagon Alley, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Draco Malfoy is So Done, Draco Malfoy is a Good Boyfriend, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter Fluff, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter In Love, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter-centric, Dramatic Draco Malfoy, Drarry, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Feels, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Harry Potter is a Good Boyfriend, Harry Potter is a Good Friend, Harry and Draco, Hogwarts Astronomy Tower, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing in the Rain, Love Confessions, M/M, Making Up, Potion Brewing (Harry Potter), Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Road Trips, Romance, Sarcastic Harry Potter, Secret Relationship, Stargazing, Stuck in a Boat, car journey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25518106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinoRoar/pseuds/DinoRoar
Summary: A collection of one shots and stand alone stories revolving around the pairing of Draco and Harry. Set throughout the years, Hogwarts and Post-Hogwarts. (Drarry)[1] Boat Full of Love[2] Copper Coated Manuscripts[3] Starlit Meetings[4] Misdirection and Rerouting[5] Raindrops of Love
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	1. Boat Full of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Draco doesn’t feel that being stranded in the middle of a lake is the best time for Harry to profess his love for him.

“Isn’t this exciting?”

“Exciting? This is not what I would call exciting Harry.” The pair were sat in a small, and rather rickety rowing boat, in the middle of a large lake. There was no one in sight except for the local wildlife, a few swans nesting on the outer banks and the odd fish that would swim past. It would have been rather peaceful and enjoyable, were it not for the lack of oars within the boat, leaving them stranded with no one to call to for help. 

“Well what would you call it? I’m finding it all rather entertaining to be completely honest with you.” 

“How on earth could you find this entertaining, we are stranded in the middle of a lake with no way out and I am struggling to breathe!”

“Well, that’s rather dramatic of you Draco, you seem to be breathing fine enough to panic,” the sarcastic tone to his voice was not lost on his friend, who swiftly sent the roguish brunette a withering glare. Harry couldn’t contain his chuckles; he found the dramatic way that Draco seemed to react at the smallest error so childlike it was hilarious. 

“Honestly Harry, your sarcasm is not helping us right now. We are stuck in a bloody lake, in Muggle London of all places, and you are laughing at me. All I wanted was a peaceful day off!” He had begun to wind himself up, and it was rather clear to Harry that the whole situation had got to Draco, which was leading to the inevitable reaction of panic.

“This is not the time to panic Draco.” Harry tried to reassure him, while still maintaining a grin on his face and a playful tone to his voice. Harry had enough experience with Draco to know that he tended to overreact when he wasn’t completely in control of everything.

“We. Are. Going. To. Die.” 

“Have you always been this dramatic? Wait don’t answer that, of course you have, you’re Draco Malfoy,” Harry sighed and carefully shifted his weight in the admittedly small and rather cramped boat, breathing a sigh of relief when it only rocked slightly and didn’t tip. “Look, Draco we’re honestly going to be fine. Someone is going to go past at some point and if not, I’m sure we can send a patronus for help, but you really need to stop panicking sweetheart.”

“I know, but I really don’t want anyone to know that we rowed out into the middle of the lake and of all people, I knocked the oars into the lake. I mean, how embarrassing would it be for everyone to know that!” 

“Babe, at some point you need to come to turns with the fact that you’re a clumsy person,” there was humour in his voice, yet Harry wished that Draco wouldn’t always try to put on the image of a perfectly sophisticated heir to the family name. As much as Harry loved watching Draco play the role of the confident and mature Malfoy heir, he much preferred the real Draco that people rarely got to witness. The Draco that would wear pyjamas and dance around the house or curl up in a wing back chair in his office with a pair of glasses perched on the end of his nose reading rare manuscripts that he had found on one of his many travels. The same Draco that Harry had found sobbing in his living room with a pint of ice cream while watching p.s. I love you after Harry had introduced him to televisions and movies. He loved how dramatic Draco could be, how effortlessly sarcastic and funny he was without even meaning to be, sure he was a bit extra, but Harry had always known that Draco Malfoy was the Queen of extra.

“I can’t Harry, it’s so embarrassing that I can read and translate multiple languages and yet, I can’t even walk down the street without tripping, or bloody row a boat around a lake without knocking the oars into the water. My father would be so embarrassed by me,” it killed Harry inside to see Draco so upset over a simple thing such as being clumsy. 

To Harry there were so many other traits he could have as a person, that being clumsy was actually pretty endearing, but then again growing up with Lucius Malfoy as a father was sure to make something so harmless seem like such a problem when their lives revolved around presenting the perfect image to society. 

“You know what Draco? I find you being clumsy pretty bloody adorable, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you for it. So what, your father may not think you’re perfect, but you’re pretty bloody perfect to me.”

He’d finally said it, he had finally told Draco how he thought of him, well he had inferred it at least without outright confessing that he loved his best friend and thought about kissing him the majority of the time they were together. But now he was slightly regretting it as the air surrounding them became tense, and Draco sat there, his mouth open and no words coming out. Harry felt his heart drop into his stomach as he realised, that maybe Draco hadn’t felt the same way as him, and he might have just ruined their friendship forever.

“Draco, I’m so-“ before he could finish Draco held up a pale hand, stopping him in his tracks as he tried to think up an explanation that he could stumble through quickly.

“Wait. Are you flirting with me?” He sounded incredulous, as if he couldn’t believe what he was saying, or what he had heard. There was no way for Harry to hide now, he had to admit his feelings, he couldn’t live the rest of his life hiding the way he felt for the man sat before him.

“I have been for the past year”

“I don’t think now is a good time to profess your love for me Harry” Draco spoke slowly, confusion lacing his voice, as if he couldn’t believe that Harry had chosen this time to make such an important statement.

“Is that you saying you don’t love me in return?” Harry made sure he spoke with a playful tone to his voice, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness. It was suddenly becoming clearer to him that Draco didn’t return his feelings and that they were going to have to awkwardly sit in a boat in the middle of a lake until they were rescued. Together.

“Of course I love you, but I really think our being stranded should take precedence over us confessing our undying love for each other Harry! Merlin, you do pick your moments don’t you.” The exasperation was clear in his voice, as he tried to get Harry to focus on what Draco conceived to be the more important task to focus on, their being stuck. 

Harry couldn’t quite wrap his head around how calm Draco had been about his confession, as if he had always known that Harry had feelings for him and was just waiting for him to realise it himself. Which wouldn’t surprise Harry actually, Draco had always been quicker at understanding his emotions, and had probably processed the inevitable change in their relationship some time ago. It would definitely explain why instead of snogging him senseless; Draco was still completely focused on them being trapped in the middle of a lake.  
Of course, Harry was still going to test and tease him.

“Really, so you’re telling me that you don’t want to kiss me right now?” Draco didn’t respond as he huffed and threw his hair back over his shoulder in a sweeping movement that just breathed drama.

“That’s what I thought. Anyway, you forgot something Draco,” there was a bright grin on his face as Harry shuffled as close as he could inside the rather small boat, aiming to get close but not disturb the spread of weight enough to tip it. 

“Really Harry, what did I forget?” His voice deepened as he leant forward, their faces were so close together, that if either moved just slightly, they would brush against each other. Both sets of eyes flickered downwards to opposing pairs of lips, they could barely contain themselves from acting on their impulses, but Harry knew he had to hold back. He wanted their first kiss together to be special, it would be the culmination of many years’ worth of romantic tension, and there was no way Harry was going to ruin it with them potentially falling into the murky lake beneath them.

“You forgot that we both have magic; we can charm our way back to land.” 

“By the way,” began Draco once they had reached dry land again, “this is the worst date I’ve ever been on.” With that he sashayed away towards the car and all Harry could do was laugh, he had finally got the guy he had been in love with for years and he felt complete. All he could think was that his future seemed to be a lot brighter, and he was definitely in for some fun.


	2. Copper Coated Manuscripts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unaccompanied potions are known to cause damage, Draco only wished it wasn't in his study.

“Harry James Potter, what in Merlin’s name has occurred in here?” Usually the picture of pure sophistication and refined extravagance, Harry struggled to register that image with the Draco he was seeing in the present moment. Frazzled was an understatement. His white blonde hair that was usually slicked back in a perfect ponytail was loose and ruffled, sticking up in all directions as if he had repeatedly run his hand through it, Draco’s default action when stressed.

“Hello, Draco, my darling, it’s nice to see you too,” the sarcastic tone to Harry's voice did not escape his husband, whose eyes squinted into a glare as they focused upon his unfazed being.  
“Don’t you darling me, what have you done to my study?” The study in question was filled with rare and truly one of a kind manuscripts and books that Draco collected and then repaired or translated depending on the need of the manuscripts or the client that hired him. It was a job that suited Draco and his need for complete control, and yet was so different to what everyone would have probably expected of him. 

It had been expected by anyone who knew him that he would follow in his fathers footsteps and enter the Ministry with great political aspirations, and yet those who were closest to him knew that Draco couldn’t stand politics. He got frustrated easily, was prone to throwing the odd dramatic tantrum when things didn’t go his way, and most importantly, absolutely abhorred anything to do with the Ministry. Draco adored being his own boss, he would frequently spend days at a time completely submerged in translating an ancient text that he had come across in the most obscure regions of the world, nobody told him what to do and he made his own deadlines. It also allowed him the flexibility to spend as much time with Harry as possible, something that they both appreciated.

With Draco working from home, his office had become his pride and joy, the place where he spent the majority of his time and his sanctuary when he just needed to escape the outside world and immerse himself in something other than reality. When he had claimed Malfoy Manor as his own home, he had been unsure as to whether he could ever make it the safe haven he dreamed of, aware of the many bad memories the manor held for not only him but also for Harry and his friends. He had worked tirelessly to ensure that it was welcoming and homely, something it had never been during his childhood. It was no longer the cold and sterile house from his youth, but instead a warm and open home, an environment that Draco felt happy to live in and one day raise a family.

His study, however, was the true work of art within the home, specifically designed to meet all of Draco’s needs and desires, it had taken months to be completed. A giant floor to ceiling bookcase claimed one wall, crammed with books, manuscripts and the odd knick-knack he had picked up on his travels or been gifted. A large bay window was home to the special window seat Harry had gifted him, handmade by a master carpenter and upholstered in a bright emerald green material, scattered with cushions and blankets it was Draco’s favourite place to sit and read while watching the world go by. One thing Harry had been surprised by, was how sentimental Draco could be. The walls were decorated with a collection of framed photographs of the pair and their friends over the years, and a few drawings that Teddy had completed for his ‘Uncle Dwaco” were also framed and placed on the walls with pride, one had even found its home on his desk, a location reserved for his most prized possessions.. The main focal point of the room however was the large and expansive corner desk that was covered with manuscripts and parchment, each in varied stages of translation or restoration.

This was also the reason for Draco’s frustration and distress.

There was specks and splatters of potion everywhere. The rare and incredibly delicate manuscripts were coated in a copper coloured liquid, the words indistinguishable under the potion that had somehow made its way up the walls and onto the bookcase. Those could be cleaned though; it was Draco’s work that had been damaged beyond repair. If there was one thing that Draco took the utmost pride in, it was his work. He always made sure that each manuscript was restored or translated to the highest of standards and he had never had an unhappy client. To Draco, this was the biggest disaster that could occur around his work. 

“Draco, it was an accident I swear. You know that I would never purposely damage any of your work,” Harry tried to soothe his husband, a gentle tone to his voice as he dropped the cleaning supplies he had been using and began to cautiously approach Draco who had entered the room unaware of the sight he would be faced with.

“What happened? Why were you even in my study anyway?” His grey eyes were rapidly flicking around the room, taking note of the cauldron that had been placed next to his desk, a cauldron that usually lived in Harry's office downstairs but had for some reason been moved into his study. He zeroed in on the remains of a potion inside, it was thick and tar like but there was no denying that it was the same glittering copper colour as the liquid covering his workspace. 

“It was an accident, there was no room in my office for the cauldron while I was moving things around, and I completely forgot that I had been brewing anything and had to take Teddy to the dentist and it bubbled over. I’m so sorry Draco, I’ve tried cleaning everything except for the stuff on your desk, I didn’t want to damage it any further,” the guilt was vividly clear in Harry's eyes, he had never meant to cause such a mess, and he knew that this would cause Draco great stress as he tried to work out what to do with his work.

“I don’t want to look at you right now. Do you know how far you’ve set me back? It took me weeks to translate and restore some of those pieces.” Draco stepped further into the room, the pure horror still on his face as he picked up a manuscript that was completely saturated in potion, copper liquid dripping and pooling onto the desk beneath it Draco threw it back down with utter despair and anger. “I was supposed to meet a client tomorrow and deliver this, now I have to redo the whole thing, if I can even clean it off enough to establish the original workings.”

“I’m so sorry Draco I completely didn’t think about it. I never meant to damage anything, I just forgot about it, what can I do to fix it?” Harry truly felt bad for all of the work he had ruined. There was surely no way to salvage any of the damaged parchments, so it was likely that Draco would have to refer back to his notes and attempt to retranslate, those that were being restored were likely too damaged to continue restoration. 

“There are some things you simply don’t do. That was one of them. I can’t believe you invaded my personal work area and thought that boiling unstable potions next to delicate and ancient books was a good idea. I could bloody kill you sometimes Harry, you never think!” He was angry, and now he was stressed as he tried to think of a way that he could meet his deadlines, and if there was any way he could somehow salvage his work. 

Allowing his gaze to land on Harry, he could tell how bad his husband felt, and he knew that he was beating himself up inside enough that Draco didn’t need to add to it. As angry with his husband as he was, Draco knew that it was an accident and that Harry had the utmost respect for his work and would have never intended for such an accident to occur. It didn’t resolve his anger, but it calmed him slightly to see that Harry understood where he went wrong and had clearly attempted to fix his error. The cleaning products scattered across the carpet was a testament to that. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself before approaching the downtrodden Harry who was staring at the floor, his lip between his teeth as he anxiously bit at it. Gently Draco reached up and brushed his thumb across Harry's lip, tugging it from between his teeth.

“I’m so sorry Draco.” It was whispered and laced with guilt, his voice slightly cracking as he became overcome with his emotions, feeling like such a burden.  


“It’ll be okay sweetheart; I can fix it. No, we can fix it together. I’m upset, and a bit angry, but I know you didn’t mean it, and I love you, so I’ll always forgive you,” leaning in, he pressed his lips against Harry's chapped ones. Trying to reassure him that just because he’d upset him, it didn’t mean Draco was going to leave him. He loved him, and no amount of ruined manuscripts could ever make him stop loving him.


	3. Starlit Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a secret meeting in the Astronomy Tower, Harry decides he wants to go public about their relationship.

The shadows of the castle warped around Harry, encasing him in their darkness as he quietly made his way along the corridors and up the towering spiral stairs to the top of the Astronomy Tower. It was out of the way, and rarely inhabited by students or staff, making it the perfect place for any secret meetings. Still, he was always wary of being caught and made sure to tug his invisibility cloak tighter around himself, less he be caught by Filch or a prefect wandering the halls in search of those out of bed after curfew. As much as Harry feared the repercussions of being spotted, he couldn’t help himself. He had to see him. 

Coming to the top of the Tower, Harry couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face at the sight before him. A bright head of platinum hair was visible, poking out the top of a woven blanket that was bundled around the owners body, almost obscuring him from sight. To Harry it was as if a wave of calm washed straight over him as soon as he entered the tower, like all of the pressures constantly placed on him were suddenly gone. He couldn’t help but to smile from pure joy and relief.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here Draco,” his tone was teasing, knowing that of course Draco was going to be there. He always was. Yet sometimes Harry half expected Draco to not show up. He knew how hard it was for them to keep their relationship a secret, pretending to hate each other most of the time was hard on them both. It didn’t help that they couldn’t even confide in their closest friends about their relationship, no one would be able to understand how a Slytherin and a Gryffindor were in love, let alone it being Harry and Draco who many viewed as enemies.

“Where else would I be Potter? The stars are looking truly beautiful tonight,” he didn’t turn to face him, but Harry knew he was smiling, he could hear it in his voice. Whipping of his cloak and draping it on a nearby dusty chair, he moved closer to his boyfriend. Draco opened up the blanket, allowing Harry to slide in next to him before they were encompassed in the warmth of both the blanket and each other.

“They really are beautiful, but definitely not as striking as you are.” He knew it was cheesy, but seeing the way that Draco ducked his head, in a failed attempt at hiding the spreading blush across his cheeks, made it completely worth it. 

The pair sat for a while in total silence. Their eyes focused on the dark night sky and the twinkling stars scattered across, making up the many constellations that Harry knew Draco could name in a heartbeat. The vapor from their breath mingled and intertwined in the icy cold of the night, neither willing to break the silence surrounding them, but knowing that they needed to talk at some point. They couldn’t keep hiding anymore, and Harry knew that as the Gryffindor in the relationship, he should be brave and speak up first. 

“I want to come clean.” His words shattered the fragile silence surrounding them, and even though it was whispered, in the darkness it sounded so loud.

“What, have you done something wrong? You haven’t cheated on me have you Harry?” It took a second for Draco’s words to sink in before Harry realised, he hadn’t been clear with the intentions behind his own words.

“No, of course not! I meant I want to come clean about us, tell others that we’re, you know, dating.” He rushed to reassure his partner, who had seemed as if he was winding up to explode on Harry if he had cheated, not that Harry ever would. He adored Draco, even when he was jumping to conclusions.

“Oh. You really should be clearer with your words you know Harry, I thought I was about to have heart palpitations.” He seemed to bypass what Harry had said completely, as if he didn’t hear him, or wished he hadn’t. His gaze was focused on the stars above them, and Harry struggled to read any emotions on his face, it was as if he had shut down completely.

“Draco?” Harry only spoke one word, and yet it held a multitude of feelings within it. Confusion. He didn’t understand why Draco would just brush off his comment, he didn’t even deny his request, but ignored it. Hurt. Draco had never ignored him like that before, especially when they were together in private, and it hurt Harry to have his feelings pushed aside. Anger. Because surely Harry wasn’t the only one in their relationship who was getting sick of having to hide their feelings around others, sick of having to put on the mask of hating each other, and sick of the lies and excuses that filled their relationship and their friendships.

Harry opened his mouth, ready to let lose all of his thoughts and emotions, when suddenly Draco turned in their blanket cocoon to face him fully, allowing Harry to finally meet his eyes and understand his feelings. His eyes were filled with fear and doubt, and finally Harry understood, that as much as he was the one with all the eyes focusing on his every move, there were people constantly watching Draco too. The whole of the pureblood society were waiting for him to mess up at something, to fail in someway so that they could judge him and push him off the pedestal his parents placed him upon.

“Do you know what this means? Do you know what this will mean for us if we tell people, if we allow the world into our relationship?” His voice was imploring with Harry to understand where he was coming from, not a place of denial, but a place of concern for the both of them, for what they had together. “I want to make you happy Harry and I’d be more than happy to let people know how much I adore you, but you need to know what it’ll entail.”

Harry had to think, as he gazed into the eyes of the person he loved, he had to truly think about what in their relationship would change once they went public, and whether it was worth it to him. He knew that there would be even more eyes following them, watching their every move, dissecting their relationship and every one of their actions. They would become the height of gossip. Not only in Hogwarts, but in the Wizarding World as a whole. Harry could already envision the stories and accompanying scandalous headlines that journalists like Rita Skeeter would come up with in their attempts to shame them.

There was a strong chance that their friends would drop them, refuse to accept their relationship for what it was, and let their hatred for the opposing houses and sides in the previous war take over their feelings. Harry could only imagine Ron and Hermione’s reactions; he didn’t think there was anyone that Ron hated more than Draco. And Hermione, she would come up with a list of all the reasons Harry and Draco wouldn’t work out based on their history together but would ultimately accept it with a degree of wariness.

For Draco, it could be worst. The politics surrounding Slytherin and in general, his life were astounding, and Harry knew that Draco would face displeasure and turned backs for his decision. There was a chance, a big one, that he could be disowned. As much as his mother loved Draco and would likely accept him for who he was and who he was with, Harry was almost positive that Lucius would stand for none of it. Their family name would be dragged across the magazines and into the mud, likely tarnished for years, their position in society would teeter and they would face much disapproval.

But even with the staggering negatives, all Harry could think about was how much he loved Draco, and how much Draco loved him. They could make it work. If their friends dropped them, then clearly they weren’t the kind of friends that they needed in their lives if they refused to accept them. Society and the magazines could decimate their social standing, but all they needed was each other to be happy. Harry didn’t care about what people thought of him, and Draco was slowly learning not to care too much about other people’s perception of him in society. There wasn’t much Harry could do regarding Lucius, but he would make sure that Draco knew Harry would always be there for him, and that they could make their own family. Together. 

“I know you worry Draco, but I don’t care what other people think. I don’t care about how people will view us. I just care about you and me being together. Being happy.” For a moment it was silent. The words had spilled into the air between them, never to be taken back as they both realised that their relationship was hurtling closer to reality by the second. Right there in the dead of night, with only the light of the stars around them, Draco cupped Harry’s jaw with his hand, leant in and spoke the words that they both needed to hear.

“Then let’s do it. Let’s tell everyone about us.”


	4. Misdirection and Rerouting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco were meant to be going for a lovely weekend away, but everything seems to be going wrong and Draco is feeling pretty smug about it.

“I told you we were going the right way Harry, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t believe me, I’m not useless you know.” It wasn’t the first time that Draco had been correct about something, and Harry was fully prepared for what was to come, because Draco was downright smug when he was able to prove he was better at something than Harry. 

“Draco the satnav said otherwise, and you told me when we left the house to always listen to the satnav.” It was a weak response and Harry knew that it wouldn’t hold up against Draco and his feelings of being wronged, but he was trying to maintain his calm demeanour. There was nothing that Draco liked more than being right, and Harry swore he had a book inside his mind filled with comebacks, excuses and debates for every situation possible. Draco liked to be always prepared. 

“I told you to follow the satnav at all times under the assumption that it would give us accurate directions, and yet we are lost, a situation that would not have happened if you had listened to me for once.” There was a degree of smug glee to his tone and Harry knew that there was no escaping it now, if only the navigation system hadn’t been wrong, and they had managed to make it to the hotel. Harry knew that right now he could have been sat on a balcony looking over the coast with a glass of champagne, toasting his and Draco’s success. Instead, they were stuck in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal, no understanding of where they were, and they were both beginning to get tired and irritated.

“At which point did I supposedly not listen to you? When you begged me to make a quick detour so you could buy a new jacket in case you were underdressed, which you are not in that flamboyant kimono. Or was it when you were moaning that I was driving too slowly, even though I was going the speed limit?” Harry had reached his limit, he had been driving for hours as Draco was rather prone to significant road rage, which could get them into all sorts of issues if previous incidents were anything to go off. The weather had been disgusting the whole time, rain lashing against the windscreen as he tried to keep it together, but the drivers around him had pushed him early on.

Harry didn’t usually mind driving when they decided to pretend to be Muggles and go off for a long weekend exploring, allowing themselves the opportunity to slip away from the constantly watching eyes of the Wizarding World, something that Harry still was not used to. Yet this time, their thoroughly planned and highly anticipated weekend away seemed doomed from the start. Firstly, their alarms had somehow managed to be set for an hour later than needed, causing the pair to rush (and bicker) as they attempted to still leave the house in time. They had finally got on the road, ten minutes late, as Draco had consistently reminded him, only to have to turn back around at the realisation of Draco leaving suitcase behind. The car had almost run out of petrol, not that Draco was willing to admit it being his fault for not filling the tank after using it last. And now, the satnav that Draco had insisted upon (the best in the market according to the salesman) had sent them in the wrong bloody direction and they were hours behind their intended check in at the luxurious five star seaside hotel in Cornwall.

Harry was about ready to launch the talking computer out of the window when Draco had decided to pipe up about his being right, as he had told Harry hours ago that he didn’t think they were going the right way (albeit in a vague and uninterested way that left Harry clearly taking no notice of him). They had been trundling down backroads and through winding country lanes, narrow and lined with hedges filled with berries of all different degrees. It would have been beautiful, the scenic route, if not for the knowledge that they had no idea where they were going nor where they were. The car was silent, slightly tense, they were both keen to forge their argument and enjoy their time together, it wasn’t often that they both managed to secure an uninterrupted weekend off work, and they wanted to make the most of it. 

Deciding that they clearly needed a break from the monotony of driving along random roads, Harry took the next exit available and hoped that there would be somewhere at the end where they could pull over and just breathe for a moment. Trundling along the rocky road, surrounded by dense woodland, Harry was shocked to see it open up into a spectacular view he had never expected. A large and glistening lake was the clear focal point, drawing the eyes in with the beautiful reflection of the setting sun across its surface. Encircling the natural beauty was strikingly tall trees and a range of flora and fauna, Harry had never seen anything so simple, and yet striking in his life, and looking over at Draco whose jaw had dropped at the sight, it was clear neither had he.

Harry quickly turned the key and allowed the car to turn off for the first time in hours. The pair sat in silence for a moment, taking in the raw beauty of the nature surrounding them, and allowing them to separate themselves from their previous feelings. It was as if all of the anger from before had simply washed away once they had set their eyes on the view. For the first time in a while, Harry allowed himself to relax, his shoulders rolling back as he sagged in his seat. Gazing over at Draco, Harry was fuelled with the desire to just hold him and allow themselves to sink into the comfort of each other.

“I love you; you know. I hate it when we fight, and I don’t want stupid things like this to get us angry at each other. This was meant to be a relaxing and celebratory weekend away, and yet we’ve spent the last few hours at each other’s throats,” Harry was the first to speak, his gruff voice piercing through the silence that had enveloped the car since they had arrived.  
“I adore you to Harry. You know I hate it when we fight too, but sometimes I wish you would listen to me a bit more.” His words were missing their usual mischievous tone to them, and it hurt Harry to see Draco looking so downtrodden, even though they both knew there had been nothing purposeful behind either of their actions.  
“Draco, I always listen to you, but sometimes you can be rather contradictory with your directions, and you know that.” He knew how important honesty and communication was in their relationship, it was the foundation of their whole relationship. They had built their lives together around their ability to communicate with one another, especial after the war, they had to communicate and talk with each other to get through the trauma of what they had witnessed and been made to do.

“Okay, fine I admit, I wasn’t exactly helpful. But it wasn’t my fault we ended up going the wrong way in the first way, it was that bloody satnav thingy,” Draco dramatically flourished his arm as he pointed at the system in question, with an accusatory look upon his face. It was one of the things about him that Harry adored, there was never a dull day in their lives with Draco and his dramatics.

“Well let me see what’s wrong with it so we can work out where to go from there.” Harry plucked it from the holder it sat upon and began inspecting the machine. It seemed that it was fully charged, and when looking at the map, it did seem to be giving them the correct directions for the inputted address. Zooming out on the map, Harry looked closer, and when the realisation hit, he couldn’t help the smug grin that overtook his face.

“Draco, the postcode for the hotel was TR26 2DE, wasn’t it?” There was a smug tone to his voice that immediately captured Draco’s attention, as he looked away from the lake and focused on Harry, squinting his eyes slightly as he tried to understand where Harry was going with this.

“Of course it was Harry, I’m not that stupid that I wouldn’t make sure I had the correct address for our hotel. Honestly, what do you take me for?” There was a roll of his eyes, and Harry couldn’t help but grin wider as he looked at his irritated boyfriend. It truly delighted Harry that for once, it was Draco that had been wrong. He knew that after their little argument he shouldn’t be smug, but he couldn’t help himself.

“So, you accidentally putting it in as TR16 2DE wouldn’t happen to be the reason we’ve been driving around in circles for hours, trying to find a place that doesn’t exist?” 

“What are you on about? I didn’t put the address in wrong, give that to me,” Draco swiftly snatched the satnav from Harry and began to search through the information he inputted, before pausing as he realised his error. Swallowing and lifting his chin up, Draco placed the machine back in its holder and turned to face Harry, who was struggling not to laugh at the outrage on his husbands face

“Well, there’s no need to act so smug Harry, we all make mistakes.”


	5. Raindrops of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know that half the time I piss you off, and the other half you piss me off, but I bloody love you Draco!” The words echoed in the street, people who had previously been rushing to leave and find shelter from the pouring rain, had turned to stare at the exclamation. Harry hadn’t been able to hold it in any longer, the need to just let everything out had become so overwhelming, he had lost all control over his words.

“I know that half the time I piss you off, and the other half you piss me off, but I bloody love you Draco!” The words echoed in the street, people who had previously been rushing to leave and find shelter from the pouring rain, had turned to stare at the exclamation. Harry hadn’t been able to hold it in any longer, the need to just let everything out had become so overwhelming, he had lost all control over his words.   
He hadn’t planned for it to happen this way, soaked to the bone from the lashing rain and in the middle of Diagon Alley. His glasses were foggy and covered in water, droplets fell down his cheeks while thick black hair hung limply in front of emerald green eyes. Emerald green eyes that were staring straight into a pair of gray ones, widened with shock and bewilderment. Harry was eager to know how Draco would react, and as time passed, the pair still staring at one another waiting for some kind of response, Harry grew more anxious. 

He supposed he had blindsided the man, they had been out shopping around, prepping for Teddy to go back to Hogwarts, and picking up a few things left on the list that they had forgotten on their last visit. Ever since the war the pair had slowly built up a relationship, coming to an understanding and managing to become friends. Both had felt they could have tried harder during their time at Hogwarts, to move past the expectations placed on them by others and forge a friendship. It had taken time and trust, but they were at a place now where they enjoyed spending time with one another, and realised they had a lot in common. Both had struggled with the impossible expectations that had been placed upon them, and they had both found themselves struggling to work out who they were without those expectations. Apparently suffering from an identity crisis was all the rage now.

Harry had always felt there had been a lingering tension between them, even while they were at school, he had always been aware of Draco and what he was up to. Back then he would call it paranoia, and now he realised it clearly stemmed from some kind of attraction. With every moment they spent together, it became clearer to Harry that he had a crush on Draco Malfoy, and with more time that crush grew into something much bigger. Harry could truly say that he had fallen in love with the man before him, the same man that Harry had once believed to be a platinum blonde prat, who lived to torture him. Merlin, he had been an angsty teen back then, because now it was clear that Draco was just following the examples set for him by his father, unknowing how to truly make friends or be himself.

Now he was staring at the man who he once hated, and yet had become such a big part of his life, someone Harry had been able to rely on at all times, just praying that he felt the same way. Draco was still staring at him, his eyes rapidly blinking, as if he couldn’t quite understand what had happened. Time had frozen for the pair as they stood there in the middle of the street, both were soaked to the bone and laden with bags that begun to weigh them down. Thunder began to roll across the sky as the rain proceeded to fall heavier, the beginnings of a heavy storm had come, and they were just hanging around in the middle of Diagon Alley. Draco reached up a hand to swipe at the platinum blonde hair that had fallen into his eyes, a look of disgust on his face as he eyed the thick and sodden cream jumper he wore, the material clinging to him rather uncomfortably.

With a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak, Harry leaned forward slightly, praying to hear the words he hoped for. “Well Harry, that’s lovely and all, but it’s bloody pissing it down. Could you not have waited until we were dry and inside to profess your love for me? Honestly, you Gryffindors really don’t think do you?” that definitely hadn’t been what Harry had hoped to hear, his mouth dropped and he began to stutter, unable to come up with a response to the situation which had been turned on him. 

“Um, does-does that mean-”

“Of course I love you, Merlin, I’ve been flirting with you since fifth year, at least. Honestly, I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up with me, you do like to take your time.” Harry was completely shocked, at first, he had thought that Draco was trying to find some way to ignore what he said before politely rejecting him. Yet it seemed that this whole time, it had been Draco who was waiting for Harry to catch up and be on the same page. He supposed he had never been that observant when it came to romance and relationships. 

“You love me too? Does that mean we’re, like, a couple now? Not that I want to push you, but I think that’s what happens?” Harry had never been all that well versed in romance, so he knew how much of an idiot he was making himself out to be. If Draco’s deep sigh and rolled eyes were anything to go off, he was talking his sweet time to hop on the same wavelength as to what had just happened.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, you know. You’re stuck with me now Potter, so can we go inside and dry off?” With that, Draco leaned over to place a gentle and loving kiss on Harrys lips, before sauntering off in the direction of The Leaky Cauldron. Harry could barely comprehend what had just happened, but he supposed that now he had a boyfriend, and he should probably catch up with him. 

“Huh, who would have thought I’d be dating Draco Malfoy of all people.”

**Author's Note:**

> After writing Ink Stained Fingertips I've completely fallen in love with writing Harry and Draco together. This will be where I collate all of my one shots and short stand alone fics so that they're easier to find.


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